His name is Brendan Birch
by Chaos-Paladin
Summary: May travels alone through Johto competing in various contests. However, when she stumbles upon a young boy lying on the road, her life takes a dramatic turn due to a twist of fate. What happens when she is accidentally bonded to him? Hoennshipping.


Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon.

This fiction is based on a manga I've read recently called Mysterious Girlfriend X. It's really interesting, and I'd recommend it for those interested in school romances with a bit of a twist. Without ado, please enjoy and drop a review if you liked it.

Warning: This one-shot may turn you into a dedicated Hoennshipper. Reader discretion is advised.

P.S. If this one-shot does well enough, I am willing to do a sequel. Please keep that in mind.

* * *

Pokémon Coordinator, May Maple, had traveled far in order to become the best of the best. Her journey has taken her into the Johto region, where she could attend the several contests that began springing up in multiple cities. Just like how her best friend Ash did, she decided to search all the regions for contests and compete for ribbons. Her travels so far hadn't been anything too special, though there was the occasional situation where things got risky. Of course, it wasn't anything she couldn't handle. Unlike her adventures in Hoenn, Johto seemed to be pretty uneventful.

That is, until today…

"Uwaah…such a great day to travel!" May yawned, traveling down the road towards her next town. It would take a full day to reach the next contest in Olivine City, hoping to add another ribbon to her ever expanding trophy case. Given her progress so far, things were going without a hitch. However, she felt like she was missing something. Not necessarily relating to Pokémon or contests, but more in the sense of what she had when she traveled with Ash and Brock. "Man, it sure is different traveling alone, but at least I don't have to clean up after anyone. I'll show everyone what I can do!" She wasn't going to let a little bit of loneliness stop her from accomplishing her dreams.

However, something further down the road gave her another reason to stop.

A few meters ahead, she could see a boy sprawled on the middle of the road. The boy had on a black fleece suit with red outlines, a black, red and white headband, and black shades. The boy's white hair was a bit unusual, but it was even stranger to see someone on the ground in such a way. "Oh my, is he alright?" In a hurry, May dashed towards the boy, crouching next to him. "Hey, are you alright?" She tapped on the boy's chest, in case he was just sleeping in the middle of the road.

No response.

"Hey, really, get up. It's dangerous to sleep in the middle of the road." She tried to awaken him, but it was to no avail. Her fears started to climb. Obviously, the boy wasn't in good health. _'Don't panic, May. Let's check and see if he's at least alive…' She _placed her ear onto his chest and listened for a heartbeat.

…_Badump……Badump..._

'_Thank goodness, he has a heartbeat. But…maybe he's suffering from something and collapsed. His heart rate seems a bit low…'_ She battled with her conscious to determine the best thing to do. The boy was indeed breathing, but his breathing was very low, almost inaudible. "Hmm…if he can't breathe right, then I'll need to…need to…" A tint of pink formed in her cheeks, realizing the procedure she might need to perform.

CPR.

'_I can't do such a thing to a stranger! But, if I don't help him, he could die…'_ This was a small dilemma for May. She'd never kissed a boy before, and it was a bit embarrassing to even consider. The fact she didn't know the boy whatsoever did not help this fact. However, a life was on the line and she wasn't the type to leave someone in need.

Besides…this one wasn't going to count.

"Okay, here I go…" As she leaned over the boy's head, she couldn't help but noticed that he had a really cute face. Deep down, that helped the procedure flow just a tad bit smoother. _'His face looks so innocent and young, though he's probably around my age. His lips look really smooth too. I wonder how soft it feels…wait a-no, no, no! Bad girl! I'm supposed to be trying to help the boy, not think about kissing him!'_ After inhaling deeply and pinching his nose, she placed her lips over his mouth and blew in air. Her face gained a deep red color, surprised with the smoothness of the boy's lips. She was almost disappointed that this 'kiss' wasn't going to count…though she was tempted to reconsider it. Once she applied enough air, she placed her hands over his solar plexus and began pressing down. "Come on, come on…!" She was honestly worried that this wasn't going to work, but she was at least going to give it one more shot. It wasn't because she just wanted to feel his lips again, though she could possibly call that a secondary objective. She leaned forward again to repeat the CPR.

But a gentle hand landed on her cheek.

"There's no need for more air. I am fine." The boy said calmly.

May froze with a dark blush on her face. The boy's hand felt really soft, like his voice. Unfortunately, this was no time for her to revel in the boy's caress. "AH!" She quickly fell back, landing on her bottom. Shock was written all over her face. "Y-Y-You're awake!"

"That I am." Standing up, the unknown boy extended his hand to May.

She had to admit, the boy was a gentleman, with an emphasis on gentle. "Huh? Oh, right. Um…t-thanks…" Grasping his hand, the boy lifted May to her feet. The boy seemed pretty quiet, which was making her feel tense.

The boy's head tilted cutely, as though he was analyzing her from a different angle. "You feel tense…but happy…"

This caught May by surprise. How did he know that? "W-w-what do you mean? I don't feel anything like that! Um, uh…a-anyway, take care of yourself better and don't sleep on the road. I really gotta get going, so see ya!"

"Wait…" Before the boy's words could reach her, May was far off, away from the strange lad. He wore a curious look on his face, cupping his chin thoughtfully. "May Maple…how interesting."

May, however, couldn't stop blushing madly as she ran down the road. She had no idea what was wrong with her, but what that boy said…it was unbelievably accurate. The problem was that she didn't know why she felt happy. Tense, definitely. After all, someone wakes up and sees you about to place your lips on theirs, it would seem extremely awkward. But his words were so calm, contrast to what she would expect from someone in a position like that. She got a strange feeling from that boy, but couldn't pinpoint it to save her life.

Oh well, wasn't like she was going to meet him again anyway. It was time to move on.

But then…why did that thought make her feel a little sad…?

A full day later, May had arrived at Olivine City. After booking a room in the Pokémon Center and registering herself for the Pokémon contest, everything was underway. Inside her room and while she was preparing herself, she caught notice to a note sliding under her door. When she opened it quickly to catch the person, the deliverer was already gone. "Huh, that's weird. Heh, maybe it's a love letter…" She joked. Picking up the letter, she read the contents. It was incredibly simple.

Don't enter the contest.

"What the heck? Is someone trying to psyche me out?" It was a bit unsettling that someone would send such a strange letter. However, she wasn't going to back down just because someone said so. There might be a trap for her, but she would plow through no matter what. "Well, time for my contest." Prepared to face any uncertainties, she bounded out the door and towards the contest grounds.

Once the contest started, May was plowing her way through the competition. During the battles, however, she started feeling odd. Through the difficult aspects of the contest, her head would begin to pound very hard. Her body also started to feel heavier and hotter as the hours passed by. This odd feeling happened ever since she met that boy in the road, but it was very subtle back then. Perhaps she caught something from him when she…

She could not even complete that thought, given how embarrassing it was.

Several battles later, the feeling started getting worse. Not only that, but since the contest began, it felt like she was being watched closely. By who, she didn't know. But with this strange sickness that was overcoming her, she considered that it was planned so she couldn't enter the contest.

Everything was too much of a coincidence.

Sitting on a bench, May was waiting for her next battle to come up. It would be the final match before she acquired her ribbon. But with her condition getting worse and worse, it seemed as though it really would be a bad idea to continue the battle. The fever she got was getting stronger by the minute. But she couldn't stop here, not when she was so close. Though her Pokémon were very worried for her sake, she needed to push herself a little bit more until she gotten her trophy. _'I can't let this fever get to me. I just need to get done with this one thing…then I'll worry about a little cold…'_

_Ding! Dong!_

"May Maple, will you please report to the arena for the final round." The announcer requested over the intercom.

"That's my cue. Time to win me that…that…" As May stood up, her vision suddenly grew blurry and her legs felt like gelatin. The pain in her head shot through the roof, to the point that it was unbearable. The last thing she remembered before fainting was someone catching her fall from behind. _'No…my contest…not like this…'_

The next time May opened her eyes, she was in a completely different place.

_May was sitting by a tree on top of a hill, surrounded by endless fields of grass. It was a beautiful atmosphere, but incredibly odd. She was positive this wasn't Olivine City's stadium lobby. "Where…am I?"_

"_This is your heart…"_

"_Who the…?" May jumped, realizing that there was someone behind the tree._

"_Your heart is very pure and beautiful…but its expansive emptiness is a reflection of your loneliness."_

"_A reflection of my loneliness…?" Admittedly, she had been feeling very lonely without being with friends on her journey. The owner of the voice sounded very familiar. "Maybe that's true, but there's nothing I can really do about it. I just have to move forward."_

"_There is one person…who will be willing to stay by your side…"_

"_Someone who would stay by my side? Who?" Her vision was suddenly growing blurry and white, signaling the end of her dream. Just before it ended, the person speaking to her moved from the tree and revealed himself. She was shocked with the person's identity._

"_His name…is Brendan Birch…"_

May's eyes suddenly snapped open, awakened from her slumber. Looking around, she recognized the wooden ceiling fan that was spinning, hanging from the beige ceiling. She could tell she was in her bed and her red and white striped comforter was pulled over her body. _'This is…my room…' _Glancing to her right, she could see the tiny hallway that led to the bathroom. On the table next to her, her Pokéballs were neatly set on top.

Checking her left side however, she found something that wasn't there before, yet was very familiar.

"You're awake." The mysterious boy said, sitting comfortably on the recliner.

May shot up in her bed, pointing at the boy she recognized on the road yesterday. "You!"

"You've been asleep for over 6 hours."

'_Has he watched over me for that long? But if he's here, then that means…'_ May's cheeks burned at the realization. "So, um, were you the one who took me to my room?"

"Correct."

"And you've been watching over me this entire time?"

"I've been watching you since you've arrived in Olivine City."

'_Since I've arrived? But that would mean he was the presence I felt earlier_.' May couldn't help but wonder whether she should be flattered or spooked. Was this guy some quiet stalker? There were a lot of questions, and that dream wasn't making matters any better. There was one thing she had to confirm before she started tossing questions around. "Is your name Brendan Birch?"

"Yes it is."

'…_Whoa.'_ This was a bit too intense for May. First, the guy appeared in her dreams, and now this. "Wa-wait a minute, this isn't making a whole lot of sense. Ever since I met you, I've had this weird fever, and you're telling me that you've been watching me since I arrived in Olivine City and—Oh no, the contest!" Now that she remembered, she was sure her opponent won by default. These were not good times for May…

"Your final match has been postponed until the day after tomorrow due to a holiday. Besides, I'm sure you have many questions."

"Oh, I see. I guess it can't be helped, considering I was too sick to even—"

"What you had was not a fever."

"…It wasn't a fever?"

"When you were checking me yesterday, you were worried that something bad happened and performed CPR, right? One thing I should point out was that I was actually sleeping."

May had just reached new world of confusion and embarrassment. "WHAT? But I shook you awake and everything…!"

"You did wake me up. I was awake around the time you started checking my heartbeat. It would've been obvious if you took off my glasses."

"AH!" Now that May thought about it, she should've taken off his glasses to see if he did wake up. But if he was already awake, then that would mean… "Does that mean you had lain still on purpose to fool me?"

"I didn't do it on purpose. I was merely curious on what you were going to do. But when you performed CPR on me, you inhaled some of my air. Because you were sensitive to it, your body had a strong reaction to it. It wasn't a lot, but it was enough."

If May thought things were confusing before, she was well muddled now. "Wait, wait, wait a minute! You're telling me that when I inhaled some of your air, it caused me to get a huge fever and faint?"

"Like I said, it wasn't a fever."

"Then what was it?"

"Withdrawal symptoms."

"Eh?" Of all the answers she was expecting, that wasn't it. She had no idea what it meant.

"Your body went through withdrawal from not receiving my air. The idea is similar to taking in an addictive drug. If you don't receive a daily dose of it, your body will go through a withdrawal phase, craving for more. In your case, it's similar to a bad cold."

Either May's life turned into some kind of sci-fi weirdness, or this guy was full of hot air. "So you're saying that you produce some kind of strange bacteria in your body that makes people who breathe your air go through withdrawal after awhile?"

"Strange bacteria? Pfft…hehehe…" Brendan chuckled, straining to hold it back.

"What's so funny? Someone could die from something like that!"

"No, I'm sorry. It's just that, it is a rather interesting view of it. The air I breathe isn't something supernatural, though it is a bit odd. You were feeling another kind of emotion when you performed CPR on me. It wasn't just you trying to save my life, but you wanted to feel the lips of the person you liked, didn't you?"

May almost fell off her bed in shock, her body turning bright red. "W-W-W-WHAT? Why that's nonsense! I-I mean…"

"It's alright. I won't make fun of you or say something improper if you speak honestly. After all, the reason your body went through withdrawal is because…" Brendan couldn't hold back the faint blush that appeared under his glasses. "Around that time, you slowly started falling for me…"

'_So the reason I had a huge reaction was because…I was love sick?'_ May was silent, but her face said it all.

It was pretty darn accurate.

And Brendan's smile noted that he was content with that fact.

Brendan continued. "A person's body contains enormous amounts of information. The air we exhale produces special energy that contains information about us. Most people don't notice it, but those who are especially empathetic will be able to feel the emotions of the air they inhale from others. I was born extremely empathetic; enough that I can experience people's emotions and can even note some personal information about that person, as well as give information about me to those who are also very empathetic, in this case, that would be you. That is how I was able to tell who you were, as you did for me." Standing up, he started heading for the door. "That's all for now. I just wanted to make sure that you understood this situation better. I'll be sure to visit tomorrow around noon."

"Brendan, wait!" May called out. Brendan stopped halfway out the door and gave May his full attention. The girl took a deep breath, her chest feeling heavy from the rush of information and emotions. "If all of this is true, and that's a big if…does that mean that I will have to breathe your air for the rest of my life?" It was a scary thought that she might have to hang around with a guy for the rest of her years, one that she didn't even know.

Brendan had paused for well over 30 seconds, contemplating his reply. "That…is for you to decide." Those were his final words before he closed the door.

May sat still, frozen with many thoughts. There was only one word that could clearly convey the feelings she was experiencing at the moment. "AAAARGH!" She screamed loudly, her feet kicking against the bed wildly. She fell back onto the bed, staring upward at the ceiling. Luckily, her fever was gone, otherwise she would've probably died from the all the shock. But if her fever was gone, then what Brendan said was true.

Brendan was her anti-drug.

Talk about ironic.

"This is ridiculous!" Flipping around, May stuffed her face into her pillow, feeling flushed. It didn't feel as bad of a situation as she would've normally thought, but it made things a lot more complicated. How could she have fallen for some random stranger sleeping on a road? Her parents and Max would've fainted if they heard about the crazy situation. Brendan didn't seem like a bad person, though he is unusually quiet. His expressions rarely changed, though when he mentioned that she loved him, he smiled. Seeing that smile May's heart leap bounds.

Was this really love at first sight…?

"This is just too much…! I need to sleep on it…" Speaking of sleeping, did she receive Brendan's air while she was asleep? If so, did that mean that he performed 'CPR' on her while she was asleep?

Fate was being very cruel.

"I need to get some rest and get my mind sorted out…" Overwhelmed with the craziness, it took May a good while before she was finally calm enough to sleep.

After all, she had a lot of questions to ask Brendan tomorrow.

The next day, noon arrived. As promised, there was a knock on the door. As she expected, it was Brendan. "May I come in?"

"Sure. Come in." May led Brendan to the recliner as she took the bed. "Did you come today to give me a dose of your air breath?"

"Correct."

May had a question to ask, but it was too embarrassing to ask it directly. "When you g-give me air…d-d-do you…you know…what I mean is…how do you…d-d-d-do it?"

"I'll show you right now."

"WHA?" May blushed darkly.

"It's not mouth to mouth if that is what you're worried about."

"W-what? It's not? I mean, I'm not worried about that—err, maybe a little. W-what I mean is…" The poor coordinator was fumbling over her words, embarrassed to death.

"Just open your mouth and inhale as the air comes in."

"Um…o-okay." As strange as this felt, May did as instructed and closed her eyes, preparing to take in Brendan's breath. Brendan couldn't help but blush, seeing her cute expression. The boy leaned in and exhaled deeply into May's mouth. As May inhaled, she was quickly filled with a pleasant feeling. His breathe felt warm and tasted sweet in her mouth. _'This is so weird…but it feels good at the same time…!'_

"How do you feel, May?"

"Huh? How did you know my name?"

"I felt it when you gave me CPR two days ago. Like I said, I'm extremely sensitive to it, and you gave a lot of air that day."

"Oh…wow. That's pretty amazing." May never knew anyone like Brendan. Though he didn't seem like the sensitive type, it seemed as though it was the complete opposite.

"I'm sure you have things to take care of, so I'll let you be."

"Wait!" Surprising herself, May held fast onto Brendan's sleeve, stopping him. Catching herself, she quickly released it. "I mean…we barely know each other, yet I have to rely on you in order to not get sick. We can at least hang out together and learn about each other, right?"

If May didn't know better, she could've sworn he looked surprised, as well as a bit timid. "Where would you like to go?"

"Hm…let's see…how about a coffee shop?"

"Sure."

"Alright, let's go." Both May and Brendan left the room to head towards the Pokémon Center's outdoor cafeteria.

There, the two sat down, drinking their juices. It was awfully quiet, and it was beginning to depress May. 20 minutes had passed, yet barely a word was said. Brendan was staring into his half cup of juice. She wondered what was going through his mind. The silence, however, had to end before she went crazy. What she wanted to ask, however, was very difficult to bring out. "Um, Brendan?"

"Yes?"

May had to inhale deeply, nervous about asking the question. "About what you said about me lo…l-liking you…how do you feel about that? Doesn't it seem kinda weird to feel that way? Hypothetically speaking of course!"

"I don't dislike the idea. It's actually pretty interesting. Hypothetically speaking."

May didn't know whether to jump for joy or glare at the boy for the reply. If he liked the idea, then it wouldn't be a bad idea for them to get together. Unfortunately, the boy still irked her somewhat. She barely knew him and he was extremely quiet. Even if he was really cute looking, it would feel odd being with someone she didn't know.

"Sorry." Brendan said suddenly. He had a small, crestfallen expression on his face.

May felt a sting in her chest watching his sadden expression. "Sorry? About what?"

"About yesterday."

"Yesterday, what did you…oh." Now that she remembered, it was because of the withdrawal she went through that she fainted before her final match. Even though the boy was still wearing sunglasses, May was now able to tell he felt bad for it. She felt a pang in her heart, realizing that that may have been the reason he seemed so withdrawn and distracted. "Oh that? No worries. It was just postponed anyway, so all I have to do is win it tomorrow. Plus I have more preparation time, so no biggie! All's forgiven!"

"I see. I'm glad…" Brendan wore a shy smile on his face while he spun his cup in his hands.

'_So cute…!'_ Okay, so maybe Brendan did get a few more points in her book, but the boy was still really awkward, especially the glasses. It was as though they were glued to his eyes. Oh well, everyone has a fashion statement they like stick with. "So what were you doing lying on the road anyway? It's not necessarily safe…or normal."

"I just happen to fall asleep there. I like sleep more than a lot of things."

"Also, when I checked your heart rate and breathing, it was really low."

"I have really low blood pressure, which leads to low energy. That usually causes me to get sleepy quickly."

"Okay, that explains a lot…" The boy was a lot stranger than she anticipated.

Seriously, what did she get herself into?

The rest of the day went by quickly with the two traveling to different hot spots and enjoying the wonders of Olivine City. During the entire evening, the two barely spoke a word to each other. It made him very mysterious. Strangely enough, May liked that side of him. It made her want to learn more about him. The longer she stayed around him, the more her curiosity grew. By the end of the day, Brendan and May returned to the Pokémon Center and were currently walking towards May's room.

While walking with him, May felt very relaxed. Ever since she began traveling alone, she had a strong feeling of loneliness. It was a great change of pace for once, but this brought on a new twist to her life. Because now she was forced to travel with Brendan through Johto for who knows how long. This brought about a difficult question. "Brendan, about this needing you to live thing…since I'm traveling throughout Johto, this means that I have to be with you, right?"

"Correct."

"But, with all of this happening so suddenly, this means that our plans have changed a lot. Will me needing to go around Johto entering contests be a problem for you?"

"No. As long as I'm with you, there is no issue I cannot deal with."

'_Brendan…'_ After saying something so sweet, she couldn't ignore him. She could feel her heart racing. Maybe what he said about her affection for him was true after all. She couldn't exactly deny the feelings she was getting for the boy, her erratic heartbeat proved that fact.

"We're here." Brendan pointed out, referring to May's room.

"Oh, yeah…" In a way, May felt disappointed that she didn't get a lot of opportunities to get to know Brendan better. But maybe if…

"Is something wrong?"

"Well, actually, there is one thing…" With May's cheeks burning red, she summoned the courage to say what was in her heart. She twiddled her fingers nervously, staring at her feet. "Brendan, I've known you for only a short time, but…I can't help but realize that what you said earlier was true. I really am starting to feel like I've f-fallen in love with you. I-I know I'm practically a stranger to you, so this might sound a bit awkward, but I can't help it." Her sapphire eyes peeked upward at Brendan, her face beginning to burn. "I was hoping if maybe we can, you know, since we have to travel together…do it as a couple…"

Brendan's stoic expression didn't change, but his heart was beating furiously. The passion he felt just by staring into her eyes had paralyzed him. It was something he had been hoping for since he started watching her. However, he could not celebrate just yet. He needed one more thing from her. "May…I want you show me. Show me how you feel."

May swallowed hard, the butterflies in her stomach flying haphazardly. The pressure she was feeling was growing stronger with every breath she took. She could feel him staring back at her through his shades, wanting, expecting. At this point, she couldn't refuse the request. "S-Show you? Um…o-okay…" Stepping up to Brendan, she shyly stared into his face, holding onto his shoulders. She lifted herself upwards slowly, preparing to place her lips on his. With the way her heart was beating, any harder and it would jump out of her chest. She could feel his heart beating just as badly, both anxiously awaiting the moment.

Just then, two fingers gently placed themselves onto her lips.

"Not like this." Brendan said. He felt disappointed in himself for stopping her, but had no choice.

May almost felt heartbroken, unsure of what she did wrong. "Why? What's wrong?"

"Anyone can kiss. That is nothing new or unique. What I want from you…is something that only you can do. Something that defines who you are."

This was something unprecedented. Something unique that defines her? It wasn't like she was prepared to throw something huge at him. With what she knew of romance, it always ended up with a kiss, and then happy ending. Then again, maybe Brendan was aware of this and wanted their first moment to be something incredibly special. The strain of developing an idea was blocking her thoughts. "I don't really know anything like that! I'm sorry. I know I must be a huge disappointment at a special time like this, but…"

Brendan patted May's head, grinning softly. "You don't have to worry. Time is not a factor." Turning around, he began to leave, heading to his room down the hall. "I'll wait as long as you want me to. I can't wait to see what you're made of, so I can hold it in my heart forever." He waved at May just before turning the corner of the large floor.

"Brendan…" May didn't know how to respond to that, but she felt the urge to try her best to come up with something unique. It was strange, how the boy of few words could say something so encouraging, and how it filled her with so much hope and happiness. With this in mind, she retired to her quarters, shifting gears and preparing for her final contest battle tomorrow.

The next day, May woke up 2 hours early to get some preparation in. She could barely sleep after thinking so much about Brendan. Even though it's been such a short time, it felt as though she and Brendan had a special connection. Also, he wanted a special confession out of her, so it was clear that he liked her as well. But no matter how much she thought, she just couldn't think of anything to make the commemoration special. Combine that with preparing for her final contest match, she was a nervous wreck.

"Come on May, pull it together. First thing's first. I have to finish this contest, and then worry about Brendan. I doubt he'd go anywhere." With a deep breath, May opened the door, prepared to face the world.

But it seemed that the 'world', in the form of Brendan, was prepared to face her instead.

"B-Brendan!" May gasped. She was definitely not expecting him to be waiting outside for her.

"Good morning, May."

"What are you…did you actually…uh…what's up?" If she continued to encounter such surprises, she might get a heart attack before she turned 20.

"I wanted to give you your dose today before your battle started."

"Oh, okay." Following the ritual, she opened her mouth and sucked in the air Brendan blew into her. Suddenly, her body felt different. Before, she felt tense and unease. But now, her muscles felt calmer, and her mind was clearer. It was like all of her stress was just dashed away. '"My head, my body, I…feel so much better!"

"I prepared my mind and body to make sure it was completely relaxed. That way, you would feel the same when you inhaled."

May felt blessed by Brendan's thoughtful gesture. She didn't expect that. "I see. Thank you, Brendan. I really needed it."

Brendan glanced to the side while scratching his chin, a sign of embarrassment. "It was no trouble at all. Good luck in your match today."

"Of course. You can bet I'll win."

Brendan nodded, wearing a small smile on his face. "I'm sure you can do it."

Hearing those words filled May with renewed confidence. Maybe that was how love worked, empowered by the person who is close to you; if so, she could certainly see why it was such a beautiful thing. "Yeah!" With that, Brendan escorted May to the arena.

Once May arrived, she quickly found herself battling the toughest coordinator in Olivine City. The effects of Brendan's breath had astounding results. She was able to keep cool, calm, and executed her strategies without fail. After a long and close battle, May came out on top and was awarded the contest ribbon for Olivine City.

And it was thanks to Brendan's help.

May, beaming with excitement, dashed towards Brendan, who was sitting on the stairway entrance to the stadium. "Brendan! I won! I won!"

The white haired boy expected no less, enjoying the sight of May's smile. "You did very well. Good job."

"Ehehehe…yeah!" May laughed shyly, rubbing the back of her head. "But…it's all thanks to you. When I received your breath, I felt so relaxed and calm. It was like I could do anything."

"Most of it was due to your own courage. I just…added a bit of my own." Brendan glanced away shyly.

'_Brendan's so cute when he's shy…'_ May had to admit, that was one heck of a selling point for him. "But also…I've decided to show you my special confession here. I-If that's okay with you." Giving herself a moment, May took a deep breath to relax herself. Once she felt ready, she began. "Brendan, since last night, I've been doing a lot of thinking on how I should approach you. It didn't occur to me until recently on what I should do. Even though I have to rely on your breath, it doesn't seem so bad when you really think about it. In a way, you've given me a new friend, as well as someone to care for. You've given me a part of yourself that helped me get strength and help my loneliness. Therefore, I want to give you something of mine."

In one smooth motion, May pulled off her bandanna, letting her hair flow and flutter in the wind. With both hands, she gingerly held the bandanna. Brendan felt breathless watching her beautiful hair flail so gracefully. "This bandanna has been with me since the beginning of my journey. It was given to me by my mother, since it was her favorite bandanna. But now…I feel I should give it to you. After all…" She wore a huge smile as she said her next statement. "There's no one I'd rather give this to than my first boyfriend."

"May…Guh!" Doubling over, Brendan started coughing harshly.

"Oh my god, what's wrong?" May held Brendan steady with her hands, praying that he wasn't suffering from something severe.

"I…I'm okay. It's just that…I didn't expect something so grand. It made me so happy that my body started producing a lot of extra oxygen. It's not really a bad thing." Brendan, still in a semi crouched position, gently grasped the scarf from May's hand. "I will treasure this for all my years."

"Hehe, I'm glad." Grabbing Brendan's hand, she lifted him up to his feet. When she did, she was met with a surprise from Brendan.

An embrace.

Brendan nuzzled his cheek onto May's, relishing the feeling. "Thank you May. I'll never forget this day."

Though surprised at first, May closed her eyes and let herself enjoy the sensation, returning the heartfelt embrace. "Of course. We're going to have many great memories together, so be prepared to remember them."

After a good minute of savoring, they both partially broke the hug, grinning at each other. "I'm in your care from now on, so please take care of me." Brendan said.

"Haha, silly. That's my line." Releasing each other, May straightened herself up, still red in the face. "Well, I've gotten everything I need taken care of. Are you ready to go?"

For the first time since she saw him, Brendan removed his glasses, revealing exuberant ruby eyes, followed by a gleaming smile. "I'm ready."

"Whoa…" May couldn't help but stare deeply into the boy's eyes, amazed with its uniqueness and natural beauty. "You have such great eyes. How come you always wear those shades?"

"My eyes are a bit unusual, so I've grown self-conscious about it. You're the first person outside my family that has seen my eyes. It's fair, since they will only be eyes for you."

May couldn't help but giggle at his words. "I think I can live with that, though I think you should take off your shades more often. I'm having fun just looking at them."

"Um, right…" Brendan felt incredibly embarrassed from the cute comment.

"Anyway, let's head to the next town. I still have more contests to win."

"Let us be off then." With their hearts as true as their smiles, the two traveled together towards their next adventure.

May Maple would never forget this strange encounter.

The day she met her first, mysterious boyfriend.

His name is Brendan Birch.


End file.
